The River (part 1 of 2)

image from: www.photopoly.net

Once upon a time there was a beautiful river finding her way among the hills, forests, and meadows. She began by being a joyful stream of water, a spring always dancing and singing as she ran down from the top of the mountain. She was very young at the time, and as she came to the lowland she slowed down. She was thinking about going to the ocean. As she grew up, she learned to look beautiful, winding gracefully among the hills and meadows.

One day she noticed the clouds within herself. Clouds of all sorts of colors and forms. She did nothing during these days but chase after clouds. She wanted to possess a cloud, to have one for herself. But clouds float and travel in the sky, and they are always changing their form. Sometimes they look like an overcoat, sometimes like a horse. Because of the nature of impermanence within the clouds, the river suffered very much. Her pleasure, her joy had become just chasing after clouds, one after another, but despair, anger, and hatred became her life. Then one day a strong wind came and blew away all the clouds in the sky. The sky became completely empty.

(to be continued)

(Thich Nhat Hanh, "Peace Is Every Step")

Sang Sungai (bagian 1 dari 2)

Pada suatu masa terdapatlah sebuah sungai yang indah menemukan jalannya di antara bukit-bukit, hutan-hutan, dan padang-padang rumput. Ia mulai bersuka ria dengan arus air, mata air selalu menari dan bernyanyi selagi ia berlari menuruni puncak gunung. Ia masih sangat muda pada saat itu, dan ketika tiba di dataran rendah, ia melambat. Ia berpikir tentang pergi menuju samudera. Ketika tumbuh dewasa, ia belajar menikmati keindahan, angin sepoi-sepoi di antara bukit-bukit  dan padang-padang rumput.

Suatu hari ia melihat awan di dalam dirinya. Awan-awan beraneka warna dan bentuk. Ia tidak melakukan apapun selama hari-hari itu tetapi hanya berkejaran saja dengan awan. Ia menginginkan untuk memiliki sebuah awan, untuk dirinya sendiri. Tetapi awan-awan itu melayang dan terbang di langit, dan mereka selalu berubah bentuk. Kadang mereka terlihat seperti mantel, kadang seperti kuda. Karena sifat ketidaktetapan meliputi diri si awan, sungai begitu menderita. Kesenangannya, keriangannya menjadi hanya pada mengejar awan, dari yang satu ke yang lain, sambil keputusasaan, kemarahan, dan kebencian menjadi kehidupannya. Kemudian pada suatu hari, sebuah angin kencang datang dan meniup semua awan di langit. Langit pun menjadi kosong.

(bersambung)

(Thich Nhat Hanh, "Peace Is Every Step")